Is Tripura aiding the Hinduisation of tribals by letting ISKCON run state schools?

24 September 2019
Entrusting the running of government schools to a religious organisation violates the educational and cultural rights of tribal communities.
Sandeep Rasal/SOPA Images/LightRocket /Getty Images
Entrusting the running of government schools to a religious organisation violates the educational and cultural rights of tribal communities.
Sandeep Rasal/SOPA Images/LightRocket /Getty Images

“From the Far East. Stories from the Woods. The Journey Within,” read the opening text of a slickly produced promotional video on the website of the India Tribal Care Trust. The ITCT is an arm of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, a Hindu religious organisation that promotes the worship of Krishna. The ITCT describes itself as an “initiative of ISKCON to care for the tribal people in India.”

“Our village was in a pathetic condition,” a member of the tribal community from the Chota Jameera region on the Assam-Mizoram border, said in the video. “We thought there are many gods and used to worship spirits as well…The rituals were done for personal gains and to fulfil selfish desires. Alcohol and different animal sacrifices were used as offerings.”

Nileena MS is a staff writer at The Caravan. She can be reached at nileenams@protonmail.com.

Keywords: Scheduled Tribes Tripura schools
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